Georgia Tech Football: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly From Saturday's Win Over Miami

Georgia Tech was able to defeat No. 4 Miami on Saturday and clinch bowl eligibility for the second straight season

Nov 9, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive back Zachary Tobe (23) celebrates on the sideline against the Miami Hurricanes in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Georgia Tech scored one of the biggest upsets of the season yesterday when they defeated No. 4 Miami and ended their unbeaten season. The win gave Georgia Tech its first over a top five opponent since 2009 and made the Yellow Jackets bowl eligible for the second straight year, the first time that has happened since 2013-2014.

Let's recap the good, the bad, and the ugly from yesterdays win.

The Good

• A win is always a good thing, no matter how you get it

• Georgia Tech moved to 6-4 overall and 4-3 in Atlantic Coast Conference play. No. 4 Miami (Fla.) suffered its first loss of the season, falling to 9-1 overall (5-1 ACC).
• With its sixth win of the season, Georgia Tech clinched bowl eligibility. The Yellow Jackets are bowl eligible in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2013 and 2014.
• With a 4-3 ACC record, Georgia Tech is guaranteed to finish .500 or better in conference play for the third straight season and 26th time in the last 30 seasons.
• Georgia Tech moved to 6-1 against nationally ranked ACC opponents under head coach Brent Key (interim head coach – final eight games of 2022; full-time head coach – 2023-pres.).
• The win was Georgia Tech’s first over a top-five opponent since a 28-23 win over No. 4 Virginia Tech on Oct. 17, 2009, snapping a 13-game losing streak against top-five teams.
• The win was Georgia Tech’s ninth in 106 all-time matchups against top-five opponents (9-55-2).
• Georgia Tech moved to 15-14 all-time against Miami. The Yellow Jackets are one of only two ACC programs that have played Miami at least 15 times and are .500 or better against the Hurricanes, joining North Carolina (14-11).
• The win was Georgia Tech’s second-straight against Miami and its fourth in the last six matchups with the Hurricanes.
• Georgia Tech moved to 4-0 this season at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field, which extends its longest winning streak at Bobby Dodd since it won eight-straight on The Flats from 2016-17.
• Georgia Tech snapped a modest two-game skid with the win. The Yellow Jackets remain one of only four ACC teams that has not had a three-game losing streak since the beginning of the 2022 season (joining Clemson, Duke and NC State).
• Georgia Tech’s 271 rushing yards were the most that Miami, which had the nation’s No. 8-ranked rushing defense coming in (95.2 ypg), has allowed this season (prev.: 206 vs. Virginia Tech – Sept. 27).
• Georgia Tech attempted just 16 passes, but completed 11, including two touchdowns.
• Georgia Tech held Miami’s offense, which was ranked No. 1 nationally in scoring (47.4 ppg) and total offense (556.9 ypg) to 23 points and 436 yards.
• Georgia Tech’s 17-play, 75-yard, 10-minute-and-45-second touchdown drive spanning the first and second quarters was the second-longest scoring drive in terms of time elapsed in program history (record: 10:47 TD drive at Virginia – Oct. 24, 2009).
• The 17-play scoring drive was also Georgia Tech’s longest this season in terms of plays (prev.: 16-play FG drive at Louisville – Sept. 21). The Yellow Jackets’ previous long TD drives of the season were 14 plays (Aug. 24 vs. Florida State and Oct. 5 vs. Duke).
• Attendance of 47,538 was the largest for an ACC game at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field since 48,217 attended a 27-21 win over Miami on Nov. 10, 2018, a victory that clinched bowl eligibility for the 6-4 Jackets.

• Georgia Tech was 4-5 in the endzone, but the one stop was on the kneel down at the end of the game.

• Georgia Tech held Miami to 1-4 on 4th down and 3-10 on third down. Miami came into the game with the top third down offense in the country.

• Georgia Tech was able to sack Ward three times yesterday.

• Georgia Tech limited Miami to 88 yards rushing and 3.7 yards per carry. Miami is one of the top rushing teams in the ACC and they took that part of the offense away.

• DB Omar Daniels had a career-high eight tackles (prev.: 5 at Syracuse – Sept. 7), including a tackle for loss and also had a pass breakup.
• LB E.J. Lightsey had a career-high six tackles (prev.: 3 vs. Notre Dame – Oct. 19).

The Bad

• While Georgia Tech did do a good job of keeping Miami off the scoreboard, they did allow 436 yards. It was a bend but don't break approach and it worked, but sometimes that won't be the case. I am nitpicking, but over 400 yards allowed is still not a good stat.

• Miami did get six tackles for loss

• Georgia Tech did have some crucial drops in this game. Drops were a problem vs Virginia Tech and at times, they were against Miami.

Additional Links:

Georgia Tech Football: Recruits Are Buzzing Over Yellow Jackets Upset Win over No. 4 Miami

ACC Power Rankings: Week 12

Georgia Tech Football: Big Takeaways From The Yellow Jackets Upset Win Over No. 4 Miami on Saturday